NYCHA Press Release 1/09/2013

							FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 9, 2013

If you are a member of the press, please contact the following
Communications Officers for additional information for your publication or
news outlet:

NYCHA: Sheila Stainback
Zodet Negrón
media@nycha.nyc.gov


    NYCHA Names CAMBA Housing Ventures and CAMBA, Inc. Developer
    for Brownsville Supportive Housing Site

    Brownsville effort to include 100 new units on former parking lot at the Van
    Dyke Houses

    The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has announced that
    Brooklyn-based nonprofit CAMBA Housing Ventures, Inc. (CHV) has been
    selected as developer for the Van Dyke Supportive Housing Development
    Project. The plan calls for construction of a new mid-rise sustainable and
    contextual building with 100 units, landscaped areas, and on-site social
    services. CAMBA (CHV’s parent organization, and formerly known as the
    Church Avenue Merchants Block Association) will provide on-site social
    services and employment training for the residents of the building, and the
    greater Brownsville community will be linked and referred to relevant
    CAMBA services and other community-based services. The development site
    is an 11,562-square-foot parking lot located on Mother Gaston Boulevard
    between Dumont and Livonia Avenues, and within the Van Dyke Houses
    campus.

    “We are pleased to be a part of this effort that will be much needed housing
    and social service resources to Brownsville, which has a large demand for
    both,” said NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea. “As we stated in our roadmap
    to preserve public housing, Plan NYCHA, we are committed to ensuring
    seniors, disabled populations, and other targeted special-needs populations
    have the supports they need. We’re also committed to using NYCHA land to
    create new housing opportunities for New Yorkers and NYCHA residents, as
    well as proudly collaborating with partners like CAMBA, which has an
    outstanding reputation developing both supportive and low-income housing
    in Brooklyn.”

    “CAMBA and CAMBA Housing Ventures are proud to partner with the New
    York City Housing Authority on this unique and much-needed project,” said
    Joanne M. Oplustil, Executive Director of CAMBA and CHV. “Our
    programs are designed to give low-income people a platform from which to
build a stable life. We create beautiful, sustainable affordable housing,
coupled with holistic services that help struggling individuals and families
overcome obstacles and work towards self-sufficiency. The Van Dyke project
will be an asset to its residents, to Brownsville, and to New York City.”

CAMBA Housing Ventures proposes to build a 12-story building with 44
one-bedroom units and 56 two-bedroom units, as well as a community space
and a mental health clinic staffed with a certified psychologist and social
workers. Once the building is complete, a minimum of 30 percent of the units
will be reserved for homeless families and families at risk of homelessness.
The remaining units will be made available to low-income households
earning up to 60 percent of AMI ($51,540 a year for a family of four per
HUD guidelines updated annually), and 25 percent of the low-income units
will be set aside for NYCHA residents. Based on input from the Van Dyke
residents, the new housing will be permanent housing for its residents, adding
increased stability to the neighborhood.

Brownsville, Brooklyn, has one of the highest rates of homelessness in New
York City and maintains a large demand for affordable housing. CAMBA
services will include support and assistance to individuals and families to
enable them to maintain independent housing and to live responsibly in a
safe, secure environment; CAMBA also will work with NYCHA’s Resident
Economic Empowerment and Sustainability staff to prepare NYCHA
residents for construction job opportunities during development of the
project. CAMBA operates multiple job training and economic development
programs, including a security guard training program that is open to all
NYCHA residents.

The Van Dyke Supportive Housing Project is scheduled for completion in the
summer of 2014.

About the New York City Housing Authority

NYCHA is committed to increasing opportunities for low- and moderate-
income New Yorkers by providing safe, affordable housing and facilitating
access to social and community services. More than 400,000 New Yorkers
reside in NYCHA’s 334 public housing developments around the five
boroughs, and another 235,000 receive subsidized rental assistance in private
homes through the NYCHA-administered Section 8 Leased Housing
Program. To fulfill its vital mission and even better serve residents while
facing dramatic reductions in traditional government funding, NYCHA is
developing new financing options and building innovative partnerships
across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. These strategies are helping
NYCHA to address many key challenges, from preserving aging housing
stock through timely maintenance and modernization of developments, to
increasing resident access to a multitude of community, educational, and
recreational programs, as well as job readiness and training initiatives.

About CAMBA

Started in 1977, CAMBA is a nonprofit agency that connects people with
opportunities to enhance their quality of life. CAMBA offers integrated
services and programs in: Economic Development, Education and Youth
Development, Family Support Services, Health, Housing Services and
Development, and Legal Services. CAMBA serves more than 45,000
individuals and families, including 8,000 youth, each year. Learn more about
CAMBA’s life-changing services at www.camba.org.

In 2005, CAMBA created CAMBA Housing Ventures, Inc. (CHV), an
affiliated development corporation, with a goal of creating 1,000 units of
housing by the year 2015. The mission of CAMBA Housing Ventures is to
develop sustainable and energy efficient buildings that provide safe and
affordable housing for low-income and formerly homeless individuals and
families. When provided with resources that are meaningful and culturally
relevant, CAMBA's clients make tremendous contributions toward
strengthening their own lives and communities. CHV has completed 396
units of affordable and supportive housing in Brooklyn and has 459 units
currently in predevelopment and development.
www.cambahousingventures.org.